“We can be brought into submission only by pure force.  We shall serve the Church and our parishes, and should it happen that we, together with our brothers of the priesthood, must face exile or death, that makes no difference.”  These prophetic words were said by Bishop Platon on the 23rd December 1918, as he announced to the City Authorities of Tartu that he intended to serve the Christmas services as usual.  This inspired the Protestant and Roman Catholic congregations of the city to do the same even though the Communists had threatened to throw hand grenades into the churches if they dared to celebrate Christmas.  The Communists took over St Peter’s Lutheran Church in the city on western Christmas Day, covered the altar with red flags and sang Communist songs from the pulpit.  All church services were then prohibited by the Communists on 29th December as they especially wished to stop Orthodox Christmas.  The Bishop of Reval, Platon, had come to Tartu to console the parishes in the face of Communist onslaughts which had begun the previous February.  He himself had founded the Brotherhood of St Isidore of Tartu (+ 1432) in St Petersburg for the furtherance of Estonian Orthodoxy and now came to this city to console and lead his people.  He fell ill after serving the Liturgy  illegally on 1st January 1919 in the Dormition Church in Tartu.

The next day, the brave bishop was  taken from his sick bed by the Communists and forced to walk bare foot through the town to the Credit Bank at 5 Kompanny Street even though he had pneumonia.  Here he was tortured for 12 days.  On the 14th January 1919 as the free Estonian army was approaching Tartu he was asked to stop preaching the Gospel.  His words, “As soon as I am set free, I shall praise God!” were heard by witnesses who survived the imprisonment.  Bishop Platon was severely beaten but uttered no protest and was the first to be shot, followed by his companions.  He was buried in Tallin at the Transfiguration Cathedral.  His body was barely recognisable and he was identified by the Panagia he was wearing under his shirt.

After leaving the site of Bishop Platon’s death, I crossed the river and I found the Church of St George the Conqueror which has been recently restored.  It belongs to the Moscow Patriarchate and is obviously very well attended.  Its priest in 1919, Fr Nikolai Bezhanitsky was martyred by the Communists with St Platon.

He was arrested because he had been a prominent member of the State Duma and was a very influential priest much loved by his people.  He was taken to join his Bishop, Platon, in the Credit Bank in Tartu.  The church was locked when I visited, so I do not know if there is any particular reference to St Nikolai in this church.  He was murdered in that cellar moments after St Platon, and was buried with his friend Fr Michael in the Dormition Church nearby.